Edward jones dome $30 million refurbishment commences

--Expected completion is July of 2009--

ST. LOUIS – The Edward Jones Dome will look a bit spiffier for this year’s football season. As part of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission’s (CVC) lease agreement with the St. Louis Rams, a number of upgrades will be made to the structure, which opened in 1995.

“We’re pleased to move forward with these improvements to the Edward Jones Dome because our goal is to provide our fans with the best possible environment to experience St. Louis Rams football,” said Bruce Sommer, Director of America’s Center. “We expect these upgrades to significantly enhance the fan experience at the Edward Jones Dome.”

“The Rams are excited about the on field product we are assembling for the 2009 season as well the refurbishment of the Edward Jones Dome,” said Bob Wallace, Executive Vice President/General Counsel, St. Louis Rams. “We believe these collective enhancements will deliver a dramatically different entertainment experience to our valued fans.”

The refurbishment, scheduled to be completed by the start of the 2009 football season, includes new scoreboards and video boards as well as the creation of a public space on the north end of the concourse level that will allow viewing access of the field. Other improvements include a new Premium Club in the south end of the club level as well as a renovated Rams Club in the north end of the club level that will provide club seat holders and suite owners with the ability to watch live action on the field from the seating areas. Also new will be a super-suite, which will combine four suites to create roughly 72 seats that can be purchased as individual tickets. Additional details of the refurbishment include:

The north end zone scoreboard and ad panels will be replaced with a new video board three times the size of the existing board and will feature new LED technology.
The remaining north end zone scoreboard space will have new ad panels as well as openings to the Rams Club. This will provide fans with the ability to watch live game action on the field from the seating area in the Rams Club. The renovated Rams Club will also feature an enhanced audio-visual experience with more televisions and better viewing angles.
The south end zone scoreboards and ad panels will also be replaced with a new LED video board that is twice the size of the current version. It will feature the same state-of-the-art technology as the new north board.
The remaining south end zone scoreboard spaces will be opened to a new Premium Club with inside lounge spaces, game areas and other amenities. The Premium Club will have a private elevator and adjacent parking.

Both new clubs on the north and south ends will allow some daylight into the bowl area, and most of the dark blue paint in the bowl will be replaced with a lighter color scheme to brighten the bowl.
A new large corporate suite in the northeast corner of the bowl will allow companies to purchase individual suite seats.
New upscale seating is being added to the bowl seating area, complete with individual snack tables and televisions, as well as table dining opportunities.

The large Highway 70 marquee in front of the building will be replaced with new LED technology.

360 Architecture is the company overseeing the improvements, which are part of the agreement to bring the Edward Jones Dome to first tier standards by March 1, 2015, as required by the Rams’ lease with the CVC.

Re: Edward jones dome $30 million refurbishment commences

Aside from lighting and scoreboards nothing will be improved for the average fan, but those with tons of money will see all sorts of improvements.

There, that's better.

That's an awful big aside, BW. The lighting and the scoreboards are the worst components that affects EVERY ticket holder regardless of seat.

"Before the gates of excellence the high gods have placed sweat; long is the road thereto and rough and steep at first; but when the heights are reached, then there is ease, though grievously hard in the winning." --- Hesiod

Re: Edward jones dome $30 million refurbishment commences

I don't mean to suggest that the changes to the scoreboards and lightning aren't major improvements, they are. But I would have liked to see alot more "common" upgrades. Paint changes to the seats that someone mentioned being a really good example. No problem with the upgrades to the club areas either, just that there's more that could be done in the more common areas and I think it's a shame they didn't do it.

Re: Edward jones dome $30 million refurbishment commences

I hear you wing. One of the problems with the Ed, and I dont want anyone hear thinking I'm a St Louis Hata here, is that in my opinion it is a convention center first and a football stadium second. The reason that leads to issues is because the people who sign the checks for the improvements have to justify the improvements in that order of priority and in these times that could be more difficult.